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OSLO, Oct 15 (Reuters) - Mark van Bommel's 62nd-minute volley earned Netherlands a 1-0 win in Norway in their World Cup Group Nine qualifier on Wednesday.
After a lacklustre first half, with one chance for the visitors, the match came to life after the break with two chances for Norway's John Carew, while Dirk Kuyt hit the bar for Netherlands.
Van Bommel broke the deadlock when a cleared corner kick ended up on his right foot and he unleashed a fierce volley.
The Dutch started with Wesley Sneijder and Robin van Persie on the bench and suffered an early blow when Ryan Babel limped off the pitch with an ankle injury after a hard tackle by Morten Gamst Pedersen.
Babel's replacement Ibrahim Afellay wasted the first real chance when he fired wide after a fine counter attack.
Norway relied on the strength of Carew up front, but rarely threatened after the Aston Villa striker had an early effort saved by Edwin van der Sar.
"I expected a Norwegian storm but that never happened," Netherlands coach Bert van Marwijk told RTL4 television.
"We controlled the first half but hardly created anything ourselves, while Norway only tried the long ball and created danger with their set pieces.
"We knew that there always will be a moment that you have to be alert and that happened when we scored the goal."
Netherlands are in the driving seat in the group with nine points from three matches, five more than second-placed Scotland.
For Norway, who slipped to the fifth spot with two points after three matches, qualifying for the World Cup is a tough taskseems like a mission impossible, while coach Age Hareide has to fear for his job.
"We were extremely unlucky today and deserved a better result today," coach Age Hareide told reporters. "But as long there is chance to qualify we have to hold to that and now have to aim for the play off.
"If the football association or players no longer have confidence in me, I will resign, but never because of what a journalist says."
